Clamp



H. MARKER Aug. 22, 1961 CLAMP Filed July 30, 1957 FIGZ.

lllllllL INVENTOR. HANNES MARKER United States This invention relates to a clamp structure provided with a clamping comb or serrated plate for connection with a first strap end, and a loop member pivotally connected with said clamping comb plate and adapted to have a second strap end passed therethrough. Clamps of this kind are required for various applications, for example for the straps of ski bindings, safety straps, leashes and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide means conducive to a very efficient clamp structure in which the end of a strap can be quickly and conveniently secured in such a manner that it will not accidentally become disengaged or slip out of the clamp.

t is also an object of the invention to provide means affording an inexpensive and simplified clarnp structure which permits quick and convenient release and disengagement of the strap end independent of the length thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means facilitating a highly economical clamp structure in which a strap end can be so secured that it does not accidentally become disengaged or slip from the clamp, even if the tension of the strap is released or the straps connected by the clamp become slack or loose.

Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel and improved clamp structure which is of such construction that it is neither deformed nor stretched, even when subjected to very high tensile loads.

Further objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description of an embodiment which is given by way of example only, and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the clamp structure according to the invention, in approximately twice its natural size;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational taken in the direction of arrow A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view clamp, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the clamp shown in FIG. 1, with straps attached.

In the drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes a clamp or comb plate provided at its forward extremity with a toothed or serrated clamping comb 2, and at its rear end with a slot 3 through which a strap end 4 may be passed as shown in FIG. 4. The rear portion 5 of this comb plate to which the one strap end 4 is secured, is conveniently bent down.

As may be seen from FIG. 3, two hook-shaped strap retainers or tongue members 6 and 7 are provided on the comb plate 1 and overlie the same. These strap retainers are directed towards the middle of the comb plate and are oifset relative to each other and extend in the transverse direction of the comb plate. There is further provided a substantially rectangular loop member 8 having a first transverse portion 10 conveniently provided with a roller member 9 and adapted to co-operate with the clamping comb or serrated end piece 2, and a second transverse portion 11 which is pivotally connected at mounting 12 with the comb plate 1.

In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the comb plate 1, the strap retainer hooks 6, 7, and the mounting 12 for the loop member 8 are formed integrally from a single piece of sheet metal which is suitably stamped and bent. Conveniently, the mounting 12 is formed by an atent indentation in the comb plate 1, so that the upper side of this plate forms a substantially plane surface, as may be seen from the drawing. Stamped out of the comb plate 1 is also a tongue or bridge member 1-4 which constitutes the upper closing member of the mounting 12.

The strap retainer hooks 6 and 7 are so arranged that the second hook 7 is situated on the plate 1 behind the mounting 12, while the first hook 6 is situated in front of this mounting, i.e. between the mounting 12 and the clamping comb 2. Consequently, the first hook 6 is situated closely behind the clamping comb 2 and terminates above and adjacent one end of bridge member 14. Hook or retainer member 7 extends in a direction opposite to that of member 6, as best seen in FIG. 3 and terminates above and adjacent the other end of bridge member 14. This presents the advantage, that the strap end 13 which which is passed through loop member 8 and is sharply bent around the clamping comb 2, is always retained in this position (shown in FIG. 4) by the hook 6. If, therefore, the strap parts 4 and 13 should become slack or loose, the strap end part 13 is always effectively prevented from slipping out of the clamp or becoming disengaged therefrom.

It is also obvious from the drawing that the connecting and securing of straps and the like is greatly simplified and made much easier by the clamp according to the invention since, after the strap 13 has been passed through the loop member 8 and bent around the clamping comb 2, the free or other end of the strap may quickly and easily he slipped laterally under the hooks 6, 7 where it is securely held in position. In the same convenient manner the strap end 13 may be disengaged from the clamp irrespective of its length.

As may further be seen from the drawing, not only the rear end portion 5 of the comb plate 1 is bent downward at an oblique angle, but also the front end 15 thereof which is formed as a clamping comb or serrated end piece 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the clamping comb 2 is thereby positioned between the plane of plate 1 and the loop member S in such manner, that a safe clamping effect is obtained at the clamping comb 2, and any slipping of the strap is eifectively prevented. Moreover, the bent or downwardly extending configuration of parts 5' and 15 presents the advantage that the comb plate 1 and the mounting 12 do not come into contact with the boot when the clamp is used on the instep or toe strap of a ski binding, so that the clamp does not exert an irritating pressure on the Wearers foot.

In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the strap retainers 6 and 7 are enlarged or broadened at their base, as indicated at 16 and 17. The hooks or tongue mem bers 6 and 7 are thereby effectively prevented from being bent or broken off.

In order to further improve and fastening, and particularly the retaining of the strap end 13, a vertically bent-up nose 18 is provided on the comb plate 1 opposite the rear strap retainer or tongue member 7.

Finally, the lateral marginal portions 19 of the rear part of the comb plate are bent up in the form of stiffening flanges, whereby the rear part 5 of the comb plate is effectively prevented from being stretched or bent up under high strap tension.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A clamp structure comprising a substantially quadrangular loop member adapted to have passed therethrough one end of a strap, a substantially rectangular comb plate having two ends and terminating at one end in a forwardly extending clamping comb and provided at its other end with a slot for fastening the other end of said strap thereto, said comb plate having mounting means extending centrally of and across said comb plate and providing in the latter a substantially quadrangular forward part, said loop member having a portion thereof pivotally mounted within said mounting means and having another portion cooperating with said clamping comb for pressing said strap into engagement with said clamping comb, and two spaced hook-shaped strap retaining means on said comb plate and extending in overlying relationship transversely of said comb plate and in opposite direction to each other for retaining said one end of said strap which has been passed through said loop member, one of said strap retaining means being disposed between said clamping comb and said mounting means, the other retaining means being disposed between said mounting means and said slot, said strap when passed through said loop member being engageable with said clamping comb and said one end of said strap being engageable with both said strap retaining means on said comb plate upon tensioning of said strap, said comb plate being further provided with a vertically extending nose located opposite said other strap retaining means.

2. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, in which said strap retaining means have enlarged bases integral with said comb plate.

3. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, said comb plate being provided with upwardly extending stiffening flanges adjacent said nose and said other retaining means.

4. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said comb plate includes a central portion having an indentation forming said mounting means and having downwardly extending portions at each end.

5. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said comb plate includes a central substantially flat portion and a forward downwardly extending portion terminating in said clamping comb.

6. A clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting means comprises an indentation formed in said comb plate, said loop member being disposed therein, and a tongue formed integral with a portion of said comb plate and extending over said indentation.

7. A clamp structure comprising a substantially quadrangular loop member adapted to have passed therethrough one end of a strap, a substantially rectangular comb plate having two ends and terminating at one end in a forwardly extending clamping comb and provided at its other end with a slot for fastening the other end of said strap thereto, said comb plate having mounting means extending centrally of and across said comb plate and providing in the latter a substantially quadrangular forward part, said loop member having a portion thereof pivotally mounted within said mounting means and having another portion cooperating with said clamping comb for pressing said strap into engagement with said clamping comb, and two spaced hook-shaped strap retaining means on said comb plate and extending in overlying relationship transversely of said comb plate and in opposite direction to each other for retaining said one end of said strap which has been passed through said loop member, one of said strap retaining means being disposed closely adjacent to said clamping comb between the latter and said mounting means, so that the strap is sharply bent about the clamping comb, the other retaining means being disposed between said mounting means and said slot, said strap when passed through said loop member being engageable with said clamping comb and said one end of said strap being engageable with both said strap retaining means on said comb plate upon tensioning of said strap.

8. A clamp structure for a strap having two ends; comprising a substantially rectangular clamp plate having a centrally located recess, said recess extending across and below the upper surface of said clamp plate, so that said clamp plate is divided by said recess into two substantially quadrangular plate portions, a bridge member integral with said clamp plate and having two sides extending lengthwise of said clamp plate and overlying said recess transversely thereof, a serrated end piece forming part of one of said quadrangular plate portions, the other plate portion having an end slot for anchoring therein one end of said strap, a quadrangular loop-shaped frame mounted in said recess for pivotal movement with respect to said clamp plate and retained therein by said bridge member, said one quadrangular plate portion being encompassed by said frame when the latter is swung in said recess and below said bridge member to a position in which said serrated end piece of said quadrangular plate portion is engaged by another end provided on said loop-shaped frame, and two spaced apart hook-shaped tongue members overlying the respective quadrangular plate portions and extending in opposed directions to each other, said tongue members being integral with said clamp plate and terminating adjacent the ends of said bridge member, respectively, one thereof being disposed closely adjacent to said serrated end piece between the latter and said recess so that the other end of said strap after passage through said loop-shaped frame and between the latter and said serrated end piece will be closely retained in position on said clamp plate by said tongue member.

9. A clamp structure for a strap having two ends; comprising a substantially rectangular clamp plate having a centrally located recess, said recess extending across and below the upper surface of said clamp plate, so that said clamp plate is divided by said recess into two substantially quadrangular plate portions, a bridge member integral with said clamp plate and having two sides extending lengthwise of said clamp plate and overlying said recess transversely thereof, a serrated end piece forming part of one of said quadrangular plate portions, the other plate portion having an end slot for anchoring therein one end of said strap, a quadrangular loop-shaped frame mounted in said recess for pivotal movement and retained therein by said bridge member, said one quadrangular plate portion being encompassed by said frame when the latter is swung in said recess and below said bridge member to a position in which said serrated end piece of said quadrangular plate portion is engaged by another end provided on said loop-shaped frame, and two spaced apart hook-shaped tongue members overlying the respective quadrangular plate portions and extending in opposed directions to each other, said tongue members being integral with said clamp plate and terminating adjacent the ends of said bridge member, respectively, one of said tongue members being located closely adjacent said serrated end piece to deform and sharply bend the strap in the region of said end piece, the distance between said serrated end piece and said one tongue member being smaller than the width of said strap so that the other end of said strap after passage through said loop-shaped frame and between the latter and said serrated end piece may be located upon said surface of said clamp plate and said bridge member and retained in position on said clamp plate by said tongue members, said clamp structure including a nose located on the other plate portion and extending upwardly therefrom and opposite the respective tongue member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 579,899 Scurr Mar. 30, 1897 873,464 Smith Dec. 10, 1907 1,065,171 Richardson June 17, 1913 1,234,718 Benjamin July 31, 1917 1,364,613 Cochrane Jan. 4, 1921 2,463,358 Collett Mar. 1, 1949 2,604,683 Gosselin July 29, 1952 2,840,876 Bliss July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 419,469 France Oct. 27, 1910 

